SFPD cracks down on gangs, weapons

A major raid in San Francisco aimed at stopping gang activity resulted in the arrests of two dozen people and 13 weapons being confiscated. It was a joint operation last week, by San Francisco police, the FBI and federal marshals.

Lt. Ernie Forrando, head of the SFPD gang task force, showed ABC7 some of the 13 firearms confiscated during last week's joint operation with state and federal agencies. The cache of weapons included a crossbow and various assault weapons, including one with a sniper barrel.

"It also has a barrel they can convert immediately for short range; it's used in war," Forrando said. "They're out hunting human beings."

Officers made more than 100 parole and probation searches in the city.

Dot Choi was on probation for extortion. He was arrested at his home in the Sunnydale District where police found eight firearms and $28,000 in cash.

Andre Ned, a member of the BNT Kirkwood gang in the Bayview District, was nabbed with a handgun and a large amount of drugs.

The goal is to target the top leadership of the gangs in the city and arrest them for any offense that will keep them off the streets and out of trouble.

Forrando says gangs and guns go hand in hand.

"When one of these bullets leaves one of these guns, it has no name on it," he said.

Police officials say they hope these operations make a dent in the gang and drug nexus between the East Bay and San Francisco.

"What I propose, is to do a mass Bay Area-type operation on both sides of the bay, so we target the top 100 individuals in San Francisco and Oakland and actually go after them multiple times," SFPD Cmdr. Kit Crenshaw said.

In the meantime, police say these operations will continue in San Francisco every month.